The Widow’s War July 24, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Anderson Book Club, Book Reviews, General Fiction.Tags: Sally Gunning, The Widow's War
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—2—
Sally Gunning’s The Widow’s War is a historical fiction novel set in the mid-1700’s. A widowed woman, Lyddie Berry, is trying to retain the rights to her home. Upon her husbands death, the home is willed to Lyddie Berry’s closest male relative, her son-in-law Nathan Clarke. An open conflict arises between the two; prides are hurt and rules are broken.
Too much talk and not enough activity drag this novel down. Berry whines the same thing over and over again to the same three people. Reading about the time and place are interesting, but unfortunately the setting is more entertaining than the plot.
2/5
Moloka’i July 24, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, General Fiction.Tags: Alan Brennert, Hawaii, Historical Fiction, Leprosy, Moloka'i
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—4—
Moloka’i by Alan Brennert is the story of Rachel Kalama, a young Hawaiian who contracts leprosy and is sent to the leper colony on Moloka’i island. Separated from her family and faced with death and suffering she makes friends with other girls with the same condition. While her disease remains less severe than others, she gets to grow and experience all the hidden joys and pains of the island. Later in life she has the chance to reunite with her family, and again must face the stigma of being a leper.
Rachel is an inspiring main character, and it is interesting to hear the ordinary things that these characters in an extraordinary place with an disfiguring disease do and accomplish.
4/5
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows July 24, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, General Fiction, Young-Adult Fiction.Tags: Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling
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—5—
Finally, the review I’m sure everyone’s been waiting for (just kidding, I’m not that deluted), the last in the J.K. Rowling’s series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now I’m gonna try very hard not to have any spoilers in here, so it’s going to be pretty generic. Bear with me.
The book is FANTASTIC. Finally we get the answers we were looking for. Is Snape good or bad? What really happened to Dumbledore? Will Voldemort win? Will Harry have to die? And most importantly, are Hermoine and Ron EVER going to hook up?
Characters return from previous books, some leave forever. There is happiness and quite a bit of sadness. The Deathly Hallows is probably the darkest in the series, but also one of the most rewarding. Although finishing it is bittersweet, because over the years the characters had become friends, and now there is no more to look forward too. The only negative is I would have liked more out of the epilogue, I wanted it to be longer with more details about my favorite of Harry’s friends!
Overall, a glowing review.
5/5
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince July 24, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, General Fiction, Young-Adult Fiction.Tags: Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, J.K. Rowling
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New York Times Bestsellers 7.23.07 July 23, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Randomness.add a comment
HARDCOVER FICTION
Top 5
1. THE QUICKIE, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
2. HIGH NOON, by Nora Roberts
3. A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, by Khaled Hosseini
4. LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN, by Janet Evanovich
5. BUNGALOW 2, by Danielle Steel
HARDCOVER NONFICTION
Top 5
1. LONE SURVIVOR, by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson
2. QUIET STRENGTH, by Tony Dungy with Nathan Whitaker
3. THE DIANA CHRONICLES, by Tina Brown
4. HAPPY ENDINGS, by Jim Norton
5. A LONG WAY GONE, by Ishmael Beah
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix July 17, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, General Fiction, Young-Adult Fiction.Tags: Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, J.K. Rowling
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire July 17, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, General Fiction, Young-Adult Fiction.Tags: Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling
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New York Times Bestsellers 7.17.07 July 17, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Randomness.add a comment
HARDCOVER FICTION
Top 5
1. THE QUICKIE, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
2. A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS, by Khaled Hosseini
3. LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN, by Janet Evanovich
4. THE JUDAS STRAIN, by James Rollins
5. BUNGALOW 2, by Danielle Steel
HARDCOVER NONFICTION
Top 5
1. LONE SURVIVOR, by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson
2. GOD IS NOT GREAT, by Christopher Hitchens
3. THE DIANA CHRONICLES, by Tina Brown
4. THE ASSAULT ON REASON, by Al Gore
5. A LONG WAY GONE, by Ishmael Beah
The Speckled Monster July 12, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, Nonfiction.Tags: Jennifer Lee Carrell, Small Pox, The Speckled Monster
1 comment so far
—3.5—
The Speckled Monster: A Historical Tale of Battling Smallpox by Jennifer Lee Carrell is a riviting account of two brave contemporaries, one in the American colonies and the other in Britain, who took a lead from Middle East medicine and slaves’ accounts and began the process of inoculation. By taking matter from a good small pox case and transfering it to an yet unscathed person, they confered immunity. However, the process was risky, and many accused them of spreading the disease and for outright murder.
The two main characters are brave and fascinating, but the book begins slow and does not find its stride until about half way through. It is interesting to hear the voice of those diving into unchartered water, and wonder if you would have sided with the unknown dangers of innoculation, that could save thousands, or been against the practice because it risked lives and its effectiveness was not yet positive.
3.5/5
Try The Speckled Monster if you enjoy reading about revolutionary people in the field of medicine such as in Wendy Moore’s The Knife Man.
Rules for Saying Goodbye July 12, 2007
Posted by sadiejean in Book Reviews, General Fiction.Tags: Katherine Taylor, Rules for Saying Goodbye
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—.5—
The Rules for Saying Goodbye is another “chic-lit” book about a 20 something woman who wont get a job and drinks to much, jumping from one man to the next and wondering why she is miserable. Waste of time. Should someone tell Kathrine Taylor this book has already been written, about a million times?
.5/5
